


Adventures in Camping

by pandorasxbox



Series: The Prince and The Pauper aka The Exec and The Baker [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Being Lost, Bugs & Insects, Campfires, Camping, Dogs, Dorks in Love, Fili & Kili are NOT related, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Hiking, Horseback Riding, M/M, Outdoor Sex, Swimming, Wildlife, canoeing, outdoor cooking, smores, woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2018-11-09 03:03:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11095551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorasxbox/pseuds/pandorasxbox
Summary: These adorable dorks are back, and six months into their relationship, Fili is ready to have some good old fashion camping fun! After a little persuasion by his baker boyfriend, executive Kili Oaks reluctantly agrees to go camping for the very first time in his life.





	1. Kili's Going Camping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili wants to go camping, but already knows, Kili's not going to be as excited about it as he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay all ~ You asked for it, and what a better time to enjoy a little fluffy fun with these two than summer!  
> This is for all of you that enjoyed these boys in "White Lies and Mistletoe" <3

“Fili? Could you come in here please?” 

“Be right there!” Fili called out from the bedroom as he readily finished placing the last item into the bag he was packing. _’I know what he wants, and he doesn't sound happy about it.’_

Cautiously Fili peeked around the wall as if Kili was going to smite him, or something.

“What is all this?” Waving a hand about, Kili motioned toward the boxes piled in the center of their chic penthouse living room.

“It’s, uh…camping equipment. You know. A tent, air mattress…”

“I can see _what_ it is, but _why?_ Why is this stuff in our living room?”

“Well, you know how you said we should go somewhere, do something special this weekend, and I thought going camping sounded like fun. The weather’s going to be perfect for it, and I haven’t been camping yet this year.” Fili’s puppy-dog eyes, and playful dimples tried to win over his boyfriend’s sense of adventure.

Kili’s wary eyes shifted between his adorable blond, and the camping equipment sprawled over his Italian marble tile flooring. 

“When was the last time you went camping?” _’That was a ridiculous question, Fee. Of course Mister Manicure has most likely **never** been camping!’ _ Fili shook his head knowingly. “Never. Am I right?”

“Why would I want to lie on the bug infested ground in the middle of the woods with only a piece of material over my head for shelter when I could afford to take us to any of the most luxurious hotels in the world with hired servants to pamper us?” 

“Because it’s fun?” Fili shoved his hands deep into his jean pockets, and shrugged. _’He’s not getting out of this! He’s going camping whether he wants to or not, and he’s going to like it!’_

When Kili rolled his eyes, and huffed in defiance, Fili caught his lover’s wrist to pull him close, and began to loosen the executive's tie. “Do it for me. Please? I went everywhere, and did everything you’ve always wanted to do. Just this once, could you come down to my world, and experience something that I enjoy?”

“I don’t know, Fee…” The brunet lightened up, and admitted to himself he was a little anxious about camping. Going ice skating, eating at greasy burger joints, and going to movie theaters with sticky floors, and annoying teens kicking his seat was one thing, but _camping?_

“I know it’s not the sophisticated type of fun you’re used to, but come on, Kee! For me?” Tugging his tall, dark and elegant boyfriend even closer to leave little kisses at the corner his lips. Fili knew there was a big kid inside Kili screaming for this kind of adventure, but this time he might need more than his charm to coax him into agreeing. Fili deftly removed Kili's tie, and unbuttoned his linen shirt so he could run his fingers through the fine dark curls covering his lover's muscular chest. “The woods can get really cold at night. We can snuggle together in our sleeping bags to keep each other warm.” 

“Is that so?” Kili said, letting his shirt fall to the floor as he wrapped his arms around his little blond to give him a hot, passionate kiss. The thought of the uncomfortable air mattress suddenly didn’t seem so unappealing. “Well, then I guess I can’t say no to that, can I?” 

"You better not!" Fili hummed, leaning into their kiss, working Kili out of his trousers. _’Or you’re going to be getting very cozy with the couch for the next few weeks!’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! I've got my own ideas about how their camping trip is going to play out, but any suggestions is certainly welcome ;)  
> Thank you all for your support, and stopping by to read!!!


	2. First Day of Camping

**Day 1 - Part 1**

After a quick trip to the store making sure they had all the supplies and essentials they would need to take on their camping trip, Fili finished packing a few bags, and a cooler, then loaded everything into his beat up old car. _'What's he looking at?'_ Receiving odd looks from some of the posh hotel's residents, he just shook his head. 

He had grown used to Kili's snooty neighbors' rudeness, but there were times he couldn't keep his thoughts to himself, and he delighted in letting them know exactly what he thought of them whenever the right opportunity arose. After all, his boyfriend owned this entire twenty-story building in which they paid rent for that in turned paid for his luxurious holidays with said boyfriend, and he wasn't about to put up with anyone belittling him. 

One especially rude man who apparently didn't know who he was, stopped to observe the young man working to shove one last bag in the already overstuffed trunk of the car, and spoke to one of the valets loud enough for Fili to hear him. "What is this _homeless_ man doing parked here in front of our building? Someone should call the police to have him removed from our premises." 

"Where's a homeless man?" Playing along, Fili slammed the Toyota's trunk lid closed, and looked around. "Ahhh! You're talking about me, aren't ya?" He gave the man a sly, smug grin, and said, "Well, if you must know, I live here, and I'm packing to go camping with my boyfriend. You should try it sometime. Take a shit in the woods, you might find your head." _'Don't say another word, or your face is gonna meet my fist up close and personal, Asshole!'_

The man stammered trying to find something to retort, but luckily for him, Kili showed up with a big smile to give Fili a little peck on the lips that completely stunned, and silenced the elitist snob. 

"I'm all ready to go, Fee!" 

The car door creaked as Fili held it open for his boyfriend while staring down the man still standing there gaping like a fish out of water next to the valet, who was struggling not to laugh. _'Fuck you, you arrogant prick!'_ "G'day!" Fili smirked as he strutted around the car to hop into the drivers seat. 

Just as he clicked on his seatbelt, a neatly formatted print-out was shoved in his face. "What's this?" 

Glossing over the itinerary, Fili shook his head at Kili. Bless him, he couldn't help being the meticulously, organized businessman he was. _"Seriously? "_

"I admire your organizational skills, Kee, but we're not going on one of those fancy excursions where we're on a tight schedule. That's the great thing about camping. We can do whatever we want, whenever we feel like it without limitations, or time restrictions." 

Kili's face fell, but Fili quickly moved to wrap an arm around his obviously anxious boyfriend. "Forget all about time, and responsibilities so we can enoy being together for a few days, okay? It'll be fun!" 

Kili leaned his forehead against Fili's, and relaxed to hold him too. "I'm trying to have an open mind about this for you. Just have patience with me, okay? This is all new for me." 

"I know. I'm just happy you agreed to go with me. Just relax and enjoy yourself. You never know - you might end up being a better outdoorsman than me!"

~*~

The seemingly never-ending twisting and turning of the road through the wooded hills had Kili turning a queasy green. 

"Are we there yet?" He squirmed restlessly in his seat, dropping his head agaist the window. Three hours of nonstop riding in the uncomfortable, less than accommodating space for his long legs was testing his patience. 

Fili's jaw clenched as he gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. _'How many times is he going to ask me that!'_ Glancing up at the road sign, the tension left him with a relieved grin. 

"As a matter of fact, yes! The park entrance is about a mile away."

Silently they both thanked the maker when they pulled into their campsight. Finally Kili could get out of the tin can on wheels to stretch the kink out of his back, and Fili was thankful he didn't have to listen to Kili whine about it anymore.

"Who are you texting? It better not be for work!" 

_'Hey Tauriel, I need you to check around for a good deal on a brand new Toyota. Something roomy. I'm buying a new car next Saturday ;)'_ Kili gave his boyfriend a satisfied grin, and tapped the send button. "Nope! I've cleared my mind, and calendar of work, so I'm all yours." 

Rolling out of the drivers seat Fili stretched, breathing in the fresh air. "Ahh! Beautiful! Perfect spot to setup camp." 

Kili looked around trying to figure out what was so great about it. "There's nothing here but trees." he said with less enthusiasm, clearly not as as impressed with their campsight as his boyfriend.

Even more concerning was the lack of facilities. "Where's the bathroom?" 

_'And there it is.'_ The million dollar question came sooner than Fili expected. Stone-faced as he could muster, he waved a hand toward the denser part of the woods. 

"See that cluster of big trees over there? Take your pick." The look on Kili's face was priceless as Fili bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Yeah, sorry I might have left out that minor detail." _'On purpose for obvious reasons!'_

"You've got to be kidding me, right?"

"Nope. Fraid not. Unless you want to drive a mile to the filthy bathhouse near the front entrance of the park where the showers are." Fili began unpacking the car. "You'll be fine, don't be such a prude! If the bears can do it, so can you."

Dark hair whipped around, eyes wide. "BEARS?"

Fili winced. _'Knew I shouldn't have said that!'_ "Jeez, it was just a figure of speech, calm down. There's no bears around here. That I know of." By now he couldn't tell by Kili's flaring nostrils whether he was anxious or pissed-off. _'Yep. He's pissed.'_ "Hehe, uh, yeah, but there's deer. Deer are harmless. Lots of deer. Squirrels, raccoons...snakes." 

"Snakes?" 

"Water snakes. In the creek." Matter-of-factly stated, Fili shrugged. "They're not poisonous, Kee." 

Kili never told many people about this one phobia. Just thinking about the slithery, evil demons made his skin crawl. "Ya know, that really doesn't make it any better, Fee. I admit, I'm afraid of snakes. Aren't you afraid of _anything?"_

"Pfft! Me? Nooo." With a tarp spread out on the ground, Fili handed Kili a hammer and a couple metal stakes. "Come on. Let's get started on the tent." 

A half hour later with only a few minor set backs, their home for the next few days was set in place, and ready for them to move in.

Feeling accomplished, Kili wiped the sweat from his face, and stepped back to admired their handiwork. _'That wasn't so bad!'_

"Good job, Kee!" Fili gave him a little squeeze, praising his boyfriend for encouragement, he kept the fact he intentionally bought the easiest tent with the best quality he could find to himself. _'My grandma could've put this together in her sleep, but look at him! He's so proud of himself!'_

"But we're not done yet. Still need to get everything out of the car, and set up camp. When we're done, I thought we could go horseback riding until sunset. Have you ever..." That familiar blank stare answered for him. "No. I'm going to guess you've never been canoeing either." 

Kili shook his head, but gave his boyfriend hope in the form of an eager smile. "But I'm sure it'll be fun. Can't wait!" 

_'Liar. Takes one to know one, but he's my adorable liar.'_ Fili knew better, but appreciated his willingness to at least try anything. 

"Great!" Kili received a quick kiss and a slap on the ass. "Help me get the stuff out of the car, and we'll get everything set up so we can head out to the stables." 

Emptying out the car they worked as a team, Kili handing item after item to Fili letting the experienced camper work quickly and efficiently. A folding table, a couple chairs, cooler, lantern, cooking utensils later, their campsite was beginning to take shape. The air mattress was placed inside the tent with all their bags, and they were done for now.

Fili clapped his hands together. "Looks great! Ready to ride?" Again Kili feigned enthusiasm not to disappoint his boyfriend, and they were off for fairly short drive to the stables. There they met up with their guide for a quick lesson on how to ride. 

Entering the barn for the first time, the sweet, heady smell of hay caused Kili to sneeze, but far worse was the foul odor of fresh manure lingering in the humid air. In hindsight, he really should have paid more attention to the lesson, than being annoyed by the farm smells assaulting his nostrils. When the lesson was over, their guide brought each of the riders the horse they would riding. 

Kili looked at his chestnut stead, Bongo. The large horse eyeballed Kili with the apprehension. Bongo was pretty sure this city boy was clueless.

"He's really big." _Intimidating_ was what Kili wanted to say as he nervously pulled himself up onto his horse, and took the reigns. Mounting was the easy part, but actually moving was another story. _'Not so bad...hey. Hey, wait! Stop!'_

Bongo instantly started walking backwards. "Whoa! Hey! Whoa! Stop! Fili!" 

"Gently pull back on the reigns! You don't want to hurt him, so pull back real easy. He'll stop." Fili mounted on his little grey mare, Daisy, standing by perfectly still, watched Kili struggling to gain control. _'Come on, Kee, you can do it.'_

Trusting Fili's advice, he eased back on the reigns, and breathed out a sigh of relief when Bongo stopped moving, giving him a moment to recoup. He readjusted the reigns in his hands, and squeezed his legs against the horse's sides with a light tap, and they were slowly moving again, luckily this time in the right direction. His accomplishment made him laugh out loud, glancing back at Fili to let him know he was alright. _'I can do this!'_

Leaving the stables, Daisy fell in line behind Bongo as they followed their guide to the trails. Fili could breathe again seeing Kili smile, and his confidence return. _'There's what I wanted to see! He's going to have fun, and he's going to love it!'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to get going on this story, but it was fighting me all the way :/  
> I'll try to get Part 2 up soon so we can see how things go on the horse trail, and how their first day ends.  
> Thank you for all your great suggestions, comments, and kudos!!! You guys are awesome!!!


	3. Horseback Riding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the boys' riding adventure, and apparently s'mores are a turn-on ;)

**Day 1 - Part 2**

Riding the trails had been smooth sailing for the most part, but for some reason, halfway up the steep incline, Bongo refused to go. 

That goddam horse literally stopped dead in his tracks, and if Kili didn't know better, he would've sworn the one ton hairball was laughing at him. 

He looked ahead watching their guide and rest of their group mosey on up the trail disappearing out of sight through the trees. 

_"Great..."_

He clicked his tongue, tugged on the reigns, and gently kicked his horse, but no matter what he did, right or wrong, one thing became quite obvious - Bongo had no intention of taking not another single step. 

"Come on, Bongo. Buddy." Kili cursed under his breath, becoming more agitated by the second. "I thought we were bonding!" He whined. 

_'This isn't good.'_ Bringing up the rear, Fili called out, "What's the matter, Kee? You weren't pulling back on the reigns again, were you?" 

" _No,_ I wasn't pulling back on the reigns. This four-legged fly magnetic just decided to stop, and now he won't budge!" 

Out of frustration, Kili unintentionally kicked his horse much too hard. Bongo bolted, sprinting up the hill a short distance before he slowed to a stop again. This would have been good if the horse hadn't gone so far off the trail getting caught in a patch of mud much too close to the edge of a cliff.

 _'Please beware, one part of the trail will take us up a steep incline. Keep in mind that is a thousand foot drop over the side. We don't want to lose anybody, so use caution, and stay on the trail at all times!'_

Of all the things their trail guide told them, this was the only thing Kili vividly remembered. 

_'I never imagined it would end this way! Maybe a heart attack while having sex or something like that, but not by a stupid horse flinging me off a cliff!'_

The more he tried coaxing Bongo away from the edge of the cliff, the closer the horse unintentionally moved toward it. Hooves slipped in the mud, both rider and mount wanted out of this mess.

"Kili! Get back on the trail!" Fili shouted the obvious. 

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Panic set in, and Kili could no longer ignore how frightened he was. "Fili! Help!" 

He leaned forward, twisting his fingers in the horse's mane, and held on tight, tugging and pulling the coarse hair hoping to steer him away from their certain death. 

_'If I go over this cliff, you son of a bitch, you're going with me!'_

Assessing their predicament, Fili acted fast, urging Daisy to gallop swiftly straight for Bongo. The mare nipped the obstinate horse in the hindquarters as they rode by in a flurry. 

Bongo whinnied loudly. The shock of the bite was all it took, forcing the stallion to free himself. Leaping out of the thick, slippery mud, and away from danger, he cantered back onto the trail catching up to Daisy. 

Both horses slowed to a normal trot, and snorted. Relieved he wasn't going to die a horrible death, Kili looked over at Fili riding next to him, and caught his breath.

"Thanks, Fee." 

Kili's pale face was worrisome. "You okay?" 

_'No, I'm not okay! I almost died!'_ "Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. Let's catch up to the others." _'So I can get off this deathtrap!'_

After another half hour of leisurely riding through the last stretch of the trail, their little horseback riding adventure was over.

Kili hopped off the horse on shaky legs, never happier to stand on solid ground in his life. 

He looked at Bongo.

The large stallion eyeballed Kili. 

They shared a moment. 

Not sure what kind of a moment, but a moment nonetheless. 

On their way to the car, Fili grinned noticing how awkwardly Kili was walking. No doubt that boney ass of his was aching. _'I know he hates me right now."_

"What did you think, Kee? Would you want to do this again sometime?" 

"Sure!" _'When pigs fly!'_

"Great! Let's come back in a few days before we head home." 

"Yeaah, nnn-no." Laughing sarcastically, Kili turning around sporting a big smile, "Not on your life, babe." He leaned against the car, and reached out pulling his boyfriend close, draping his arms loosely around his waist. "Just so we're clear, I'm _never_ doing that again. If I ride anything, it's going to be you."

"Oh, yeah?" Fili's flashed his dimples with a naughty look. "I can live with that." 

"Yeah, but um...that saddle needed more padding. Think I should take care of you tonight." 

"As much as I'd like that..." Gliding his hands up Kili's chest, Fili leaned harder against him, "Sorry your first riding experience wasn't the best, Kee." He teased, lightly kissing him. "I feel the need to make it up to you somehow." 

"What do you have in mind?" Kili liked where this was going, responding to the brush of the blond's moustache braids against his cheeks deepening their kiss. 

Dipping his fingers under Kili's shirt, finding hot, sweaty skin, Fili wanted to rip his clothes off right here in the parking lot. "For starters, maybe I could kiss your sweet ass, and beg forgiveness." 

Breath coming a bit faster, Kili cupped his lover's ass pulling his hard body even closer feeling how much he wanted him, "I like the way you beg, Fee." 

A man approaching the car next to theirs with his young family coughed. Regretfully Fili parted from their lustful moment. "It's getting late. Let's get back to camp. We'll get cleaned up, and I'll make us something to eat. After that, I promise to beg some more." 

~

Back at the campground, Kili was introduced to the less than accommodating, outdated shower house. _'Looks like 1960 threw up in here.'_ He heeded Fili's advice to keep his shower shoes on, and _'For the love of god, don't touch anything! Especially the toilets!'_ That kind of went without saying. 

Stepping into the small shower stall reeking of mildew, Kili washed his hair, trying to imagine he was home in his pristine shower, but the low water pressure and lack of strategically placed water jets blew that image pretty quick. _'Next time I might bathe in the creek. Has to be cleaner than this dump!'_

He wasn't planning on taking a long shower anyway. His stomach had been grumbling for the past hour, and he was looking forward to Fili's campfire fajitas, and something called s'mores, but the promise of Fili for dessert made him rush through his shower even faster. 

The car door slammed shut. "I'm not taking another shower until I get home." 

Of course, Fili didn't expect anything less from his uppity boyfriend. He just laughed. "It wasn't that bad." 

"Whatever." Kili rolled his eyes, and grinned. _'At least I don't smell horse anymore.'_ "Feed me, baby. I can't wait to try those s'mores you were telling me about."

"You got it, Kee. Whatever you want."

~

After a delicious dinner cooked in foil over the campfire, Kili relaxed back in his lounge chair watching Fili flit about cleaning up, and preparing for their s'mores.

He squatted a mosquito, and looked at the long, thin stick handed to him. "What's this for?" 

"To toast your marshmallow. Come over here and sit by the fire with me. The mosquitos won't bother you so much either." 

Kili didn't want to sit on the ground, but he followed Fili's lead, getting as comfortable as he could next to him.

"Here." Fili held out a bag. "Take a marshmallow, and put it on the end of your stick. Then toast it over the fire like this."

Helping Kili hold his stick over the open flames, he grinned. The brunet's brows knitted together in an intense look of concentration, focusing on his task. _'Look how serious he is! He's so cute.'_

The white little puff began to brown, growing in size. Fili held up a graham cracker with a chocolate square on it. "Okay, that's good. Lay it here on the chocolate." Placing another graham cracker over the marshmallow, he plucked it from the stick, and handed the messy little sandwich to his boyfriend. 

Kili looked at the gooey treat curiously, and bit into it. The squishy, warm marshmallow melted the chocolate, mingling flavors together, delighting his taste buds. 

"This is really good! I want another one." 

Making his own sweet treat, Fili chuckled watching Kili eagerly make another and another s'more. The more he watched Kili lick the gooey marshmallow before biting into it, the more erotic it became. 

The last one Fili made, he held for Kili to take a bite. "It is really good, isn't it?" The brunet slid his tongue between the graham crackers, scooping out some fluff, and slowly bit into it, locking eyes with him. _'Fuuuuck, I wanna be that s'more.'_ Finishing off the rest of the treat, Fili seductively sucked the chocolate from his fingers, holding their gaze. 

Kili swallowed, and licked his sticky lips. 

Together they scurried to clean up, and say goodnight to the world outside, zipping up their tent.

It wasn't a small tent, but Kili found it to be rather cozy the way the lantern light made shadows dance on the canvas, and how their air mattress turned into an inviting bed with naked Fili nestled in a pile of blankets and pillows.

"Did you do this for me?"

"Maybe. I wanted you to be as comfortable as possible, and it really does get cold here at night, but we might have to sleep in the sleeping bags if it gets too cold."

Kili pouted, but Fili was quick to point out, "You're a blanket hog." He patted the bed, "Now get out of them clothes, and come here. I have an ass to kiss." 

Fulfilling his promise to beg forgiveness with tender kisses grazing sensitive skin, taking his lover in hand was met with appreciative humming, and groans for more. 

"Look who's begging now." Fili teased with the tip of his tongue. 

Kili closed his eyes, entangling his fingers in a mane of golden curls. His surroundings melted away in the warmth of Fili's mouth. "Mmmmm...sss'good...you're most certainly forgiven, Fee." 

"Does that mean I can take you canoeing tomorrow?" 

Fili's tongue flicked over a hardened nipple, laying back with the weight of Kili between his thighs. 

"Only if my day can end like this again." 

All thoughts of the air mattress being uncomfortable, or so low to the ground vanished in a heartbeat, spreading himself over Fili like the warmest fine chocolate the baker ever imagined. 

_'What did I do to deserve such a treasure?'_ Kili wondered, though Fili wondered too, wrapping his legs around his lover, drawing him in. 

With kisses sweet as honey, Fili moaned with pleasure taking Kili deeper with every thrust. Their bodies moved in prefect rhythm, panting, grasping hands; Kili held him down, fucking him harder and faster. 

One after the other came with groans of ecstasy, panting out their names. Kili released their hands, riding out their blissful moment, letting Fili sift his fingers through his long, silken hair, pulling him down to hold him in a tight, loving embrace. 

"I love you." They whispered in the other's ear, slowly coming down. 

"I really am looking forward to canoeing tomorrow, Fee."

Fili's spirit lifted with Kili's adorable smile. _'He means it.'_

"Me too." With one last kiss, Fili helped Kili into his sleeping bag, and doused the lantern light. "Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

Silence grew thick in the darkness. 

"What bugs? Did you say _bed bugs?"_

"It's just a saying, Kee. Get to sleep." Fili snickered, "G'night, babe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The part about almost going over a thousand foot drop...yeah, that really happened to me, but it never stopped me from riding again ;)
> 
> Thank you all for the kudos, awesome comments, and stopping by the read!!!


	4. Canoeing

**Day 2 -**

The bright orange glow of their tent illuminated by the sun, stirred Kili awake. Even though they were separated by sleeping bags, he was happy Fili was still snuggled against him.

 _'We look like a couple of overgrown caterpillars,'_ he mused. _'What time is it?'_

On instinct he tried to stretch, and reach for his cell. Unable to move, bound inside the full bag with only his face exposed, he resigned to lay there, letting his mind wander. 

_'Eh...phone's in the car anyway...I miss my bed...Did I feed the cat? Wait...we don't have a cat...Fee wants a cat, but...I don't know...I'm hungry...What did he say he was going to make for breakfast?...Wonder if Thorin signed that permit in London? I need my cell...No! I promised Fili, no work.'_

He was lying on his back staring at the canvas above, occasionally glancing at Fili. There wasn't a problem until... _'I need to piss.'_

He wanted to get up, but Fili sleeping so peacefully next to him with a slight smile, no doubt reflecting his happy dreams, stopped him. _'Aww, he looks so adorable and comfortable. Maybe I can wait a little longer......hmm....nope! He's not that adorable. My back is screaming, and I really gotta go!'_

Just as he found the zipper, something lightly tickled his foot. In his haste to unzip the sleeping bag, the zipper caught on the material a few inches down. The more he pulled and tugged on it, the more stuck it became, and the more he panicked. 

"Fili... _Fili_... **Fili!** "

Kili's thrashing about startled Fili awake. "What's wrong?" 

"I'm stuck! I have to piss, and there's a bed bug or something in here! Get me out!" 

Fili quickly shed his bag, and calmly worked the zipper loose on Kili's bag to free him.

"There's no bed bugs in your sleeping bag, Kee. Even if there was, they're so tiny you couldn't feel one crawl on you anyway! You own hotels, don't you know anything about them?"

"No, I don't! My hotels don't have bugs!" Kili shivered at the thought, rushing to get out of the tent. 

_'Of course not. Bugs couldn't afford to live in your hotels!'_

Fili dressed, and stepped outside with a couple containers of food, and a light jacket for Kili. 

Out of habit, the executive returning from the trees looked at his watchless wrist. "What time is it?" 

"Doesn't matter." Fili stoked the campfire, and started making their late breakfast. "We'll get to the canoe rental place when we get there."

Nonchalantly, the businessman made his way over to the car, and opened the trunk. It was only a matter of time before he broke his promise. Fili eyed Kili, sure he was looking at his phone. "What're you doing?" _'Seriously? It's only been a day!'_

"I...juuust...needed to check on something." With his back turned away from Fili, he quickly tapped out a text message and sent it. 

"I know what you're up to. You promised to forget about work. Put it away." 

_Bloop_

Turning around, Kili's satisfied grin faded. His boyfriend wasn't amused. 

_Bloop_

"Go on! Read it." 

Kili's jaw dropping reaction to the text piqued his boyfriend's curiosity. 

_'I have orders from your uncle to ignore your texts unless it's an emergency. Sorry Mr Oaks! Go have fun with Fili! TTYL ;)'_

Fili snatched the cell from Kili's hand, and snickered reading Tauriel's reply. _'Perfect!'_ He tossed it back to him with a smirk, going back to finish making breakfast. "We're only here for another day or so. They can manage without you for a few days. Come sit over here by me. Your favorite pancakes will be done in a minute." 

~*~

"We have to ride on that?" Kili glared at the rickety old bus, hesitating to get on. _'This can't be safe!'_ "Can't we just drive ourselves?"

Holding their small cooler, and bungee cords, Fili rolled his eyes, giving Kili a nudge. "No. The bus is going to drive us up stream, so when we finish our five hours on the river, we'll be back here at our car. We won't be on the bus long." 

They boarded the bus, and Kili immediately felt everyone staring at him as they took a seat. "Why are they staring at me? Do you think they recognize me?"

"Maybe." Fili grinned, eyes lustfully checking out his boyfriend. _'Maybe it's the Versace swim trunks and Gucci sunglasses paired with my raggedy Durin's Bakery tee, or maybe cause you look so deliciously fine wearing them.'_

Kili smiled at the burly, bearded, tattooed man in a Harley Davidson tee staring at him from across the aisle. "How you doin'?"

The intimidating looking man smiled back revealing a couple missing teeth. "Yer purity."

His equally toothless, scrawny, weathered friend leaned over to take a look. "He shur is!" He agreed, giving Kili a wink. 

_'Oh for fuck sake, we're in Deliverance!'_

"Uhh, thanks?" Quickly scanning the bus, Kili grabbed Fili's hand, only relaxing when a familiar man and his young family boarded the bus. 

The little girl bounced up and down waving at Kili. "Hi! I remember you! You almost fell off your horse!"

"Tilda!" The girl's older sister pulled her into a seat just as their father and brother sat down too. "Sorry."

Mischievously the little girl peeked around the seat. "I'm going canoeing! Are you going canoeing too?"

"Yeah! It's gonna be fun, don't you think?" Kili's sweet response to the girl, and his infectious smile melted Fili's heart.

Tilda's big blue eyes sparkled as she nodded. "It is fun! We come here every year." 

_'Great. A ten year old who knows more about canoeing than I do.'_

"Wanna sing a song with me?"

The older girl tried to apologize for her exuberant, outgoing little sister, but Kili didn't mind. If anything, listening to her sing might take his mind off fearing for his life riding on the decrepit old bus.

"I can't sing, but I'd love to hear you sing." 

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream!" Unabashed, Tilda began. "Come on, sing with me!" She elbowed her sister, and poked her brother in the back of the head. "Come on guys, sing with me!"

Seeing how the little girl's face fell when no one wanted to join in her fun, Kili cleared his throat, "Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream."

 _'Is he really singing? Who are you, and what did you do with my boyfriend?"_ Fili did a double-take. He wasn't sure what he was most shocked about. Kili singing, or Kili singing surrounded by a bus full of strangers. 

Tilda beamed from ear-to-ear, and started singing again with Kili. Her sister joined in, so the lady seated across from the girls started to harmonize with them, followed by the girls' brother, and father. 

_'I wish I had my cell! No one's going to believe me if I tell them about this!'_ Fili laughed, and he too began to sing. 

It wasn't much longer, the burly man and his toothless partner, and everyone on the bus was singing round after round of _Row Your Boat_ ending right as the bus reached their destination. 

The bus unloaded, and Tilda's father walked up to Kili to shake his hand. "Thank you for making my daughter's day. It's good to see her smile again." 

"No problem." 

"We lost their mother a few months back. It's been a rough year trying to make ends meet, but I didn't want them to miss our annual trip. They're good kids. They deserve to have some fun." 

Kili swallowed the huge lump in his throat. "I'm sorry for your loss. That's quite a family you have there." 

Since Kili fell in love with Fili, he had been humbled mingling with people outside his social class time and time again, and this was the side of him Fili fell in love with most. 

"Thank you. My name's Bard. We're from Esgaroth."

The men were handed their life vests, and told the canoes were ready to go. 

"My name's Kili, and this is my partner, Fili."

Bard shook Fili's hand. "Good to meet you. You all have fun on the river. Maybe we'll meet up again along the way. Happy canoeing!"

One by one the canoes began drifting downstream, and of course Fili and Kili's canoe was the last to leave shore.

Fili patiently taught Kili how to use his ores to guide their canoe in the right direction. Once he got the hang of it, they were on their way. Leisurely floating along, they took their time to enjoy the scenery on this beautiful summer day. 

A few hours into their trip, they paddled over to the shore to stop for a rest, and have a quick snack. Kili looked around for a 'clean' rock to sit on, and opened his bag of chips. 

"So? Are you having fun? Do you like canoeing?"

The brunet slapped his arm. "It'd be better without all these mosquitoes biting me."

"Let's get in the water. That'll stop them. We can swing from that rope, and drop into the water over there. Want to give it a try?" Fili got up, and walked toward the rope already anchored to the old tree, and pulled off his shirt.

 _'Has he lost his mind? I'm not Tarzan!'_ "How's this a good idea?"

"It's fun! Watch me do it first."

Tightly holding the rope, Fili ran and jumped from the shore, swinging out over a deep spot of water, he let go. Hitting the water hard, he made a huge splash. Kili had to admit, it looked like fun, but doing it was another thing. 

The blond popped up from under the water, and wiped his face. "Just like that! Try it, Kee!"

The proper businessman studied the river water tentatively thinking about it. _'There could be snakes in there!'_

"I don't know, Fee. It looks kind of dangerous, and that water isn't the cleanest." 

"You just saw me do it, its fine!" 

Against better judgment, Kili pulled off his shirt, and grabbed the rope. _'If I didn't know better, I'd swear he's trying to kill me!'_

He ran with the rope just like Fili did, swinging over the water hanging on with his strong arms, he let go at the perfect time, and dropped into the water making an even bigger splash.

Quickly surfacing, Kili laughed out loud. "What a rush! That was awesome!" 

Bobbing up and down treading water, Fili proudly hugged his boyfriend. "Let's do it again!" 

Jumping over and over, Fili wore out before Kili, but it was time to move on anyway when a water snake wiggled by. Kili couldn't get out of the water fast enough. 

They had continued peacefully downstream for another half hour or so, when they hit some minor rapids. Kili's heart raced, doing his best to help Fili paddle through the racing, rough waters, but his hand slipped, losing his left ore.

Just as Fili reached out to snag it, he lost his right ore. Reacting too quickly, he lost his balance dropping the left ore, and fell into the river. 

"Fili!" The canoe rapidly carried Kili away from him. 

"I'm alright, Kee! You'll be fine! Just use your one ore to try and find somewhere to stop along the shore!" 

Luckily they were just coming out of the rapids into smoother water, but that didn't stop Kili from floating away from Fili at a fairly fast pace, and the water somehow managed to rip the only remaining ore from his hands.

"Fili! What do I do?" 

"Hang on! There's not much you can do!" 

Faster and faster the runaway canoe carried Kili backwards, farther away from his partner. He didn't know what to do. He was at the mercy of the river that spun his canoe around. At least he was facing forward now.

Gripping the sides of the metal boat, he rocked it trying anything to gain some control. 

"It's working!" Guiding the runaway canoe toward a sandy shore, he panicked. "Uh, oh. Oh no!" 

There was a man and boy fishing, standing right in the direction his canoe was headed.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" He shouted, waving his hands to alert them of his eminent crash landing.

The man and his son scrambled away from the shore just in time as the boat finally came to a grinding halt in the sand. 

Kili caught his breath, and bolted from the canoe to look back in search of Fili. 

The blond was floating down the river on his back, casually drifting along with the current letting his life vest keep him afloat. 

Fili waved, and laughed, "You did it, Kee!" 

_'You crazy mother...'_

Relieved he was alright, Kili laughed, and shook his head, helping pull him out of the water.

"Kili! Hi, Kili!" 

The sweet familiar voice came from the woods. 

Bard and his son walked over with their fishing poles. "You two alright?" 

Fili held Kili's hand, and sheepishly answered, "We are now. Just a little boating mishap, but it's all in good fun." 

Tilda grinned at Kili. "You're not very good at this outdoor stuff, are you?" 

"Tilda!" Her brother scolded.

"No, she's right. This was my first camping trip ever, and all of these activities are new to me. I'm a city boy, but I'm keeping an open mind, giving it a go for Fili." He captured Fili's eyes, and heart. "It's what you do when you love someone." 

The boys said farewell to the family leaving the canoe rental shop behind, ready to relax for the evening back at their campsite. 

It was a humid night, and the bugs were creeping Kili out, and the mosquitos were biting relentlessly, so the two lovers retreated to their tent, agreeing they were much too tried for bedtime activities this night. 

Fortunately, it wasn't going to be as cold of a night, so no sleeping bags were required, and Kili was content to snuggle beneath the blankets with Fili tucked in his arms sharing a few kisses before sleep took them. 

Tomorrow was promising to be an even longer day spent hiking.

~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couple things - "Deliverance" is a 1972 movie Kili was referring to, in case you were wondering.  
> And once again, I had to insert another one of my infamous fails - the part about going down the river backwards in a canoe without paddles...yep, you guessed it! That really happened to me too ;)
> 
> Thank you all so much for all the comments, kudos, and as always, coming back to read!!!


	5. Hiking - Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A HUGE Thank You to Ruairi and Waterlilyblue for the inspiration I got from your suggestions for this fic when I first started it! There will be more in the next chapter too.  
> Very much appreciated!!!

**Day 3**

Fili was up early genuinely excited, and ready to get the day started, but his boyfriend was fast asleep, no doubt exhausted from their long, hot day on the river yesterday.

Sitting on the floor of the tent, watching Kili sleep, Fili ate his crunchy breakfast bar, savoring ever bite. 

_'Better enjoy this cause it might be the last thing I ever eat after he wakes up.'_

Though Kili had fallen asleep very content with a smile on his face, Fili braced himself knowing that smile wouldn't be there much longer. 

Stirring about, Kili kicked off a blanket, and groaned as he tried to roll over. He blinked, clearing his vision, and caught Fili sitting there staring at him.

 _"Why_ exactly am I sleeping on the ground?" 

He not only woke up on the proverbial wrong side of the bed, but literally on the ground thanks to the deflated air mattress.

"Must have been a slow leak. Maybe we were too rough on it the other night." Fili shrugged, giving his boyfriend apologetic puppy-dog eyes. "Sorry."

"Yeah...and now I can barely move. This is going to cost thousands to fix my back!" Kili huffed. "Help me up!"

"You big baby! I woke up on the ground too, and I'm just fine!"

"Well, you're used to sleeping on crap, I'm not! And my perfectly aligned spine is most definitely not used to sleeping on the hard, lumpy ground!"

_'You've fallen asleep on me more than a few times, and I'm not exactly squishy!'_

"My massage therapist is going to have his work cutout for him my next visit." Kili grumbled. 

Fili straddled his lover, and gently pushed him back down. "Maybe I could fix your back, and it'll only cost you sweet, sexy kisses." Slowly moving his hands up Kili's chest, leaning forward he kissed his lips teasingly. "What do you think?"

Kili couldn't stay angry, especially not when Fili kissed him so seductively slow. "Yes." _'Anything to feel your hands on me.'_

"Mmm..." Fili kissed him once more, and pulled away. "Later." 

"Later?" Kili whined, reaching out to keep him there. 

"I promise. I want to get an early start on the trails." 

Reluctantly Kili let go, and agreed they needed to get going. After a quick breakfast, and a fifteen minute drive, they were parked outside the entrance of the trail network. 

Fili studied the large wooden map describing the three different trails they could choose from. He was familiar with a couple of the shorter trails, but had always wanted to take the ten mile hike with someone. 

_'He works out, and he's in great shape. I'm sure he can handle it.'_

Standing at the back of the car filling their packs, Fili shook his head at his boyfriend's packing skills. Kili's backpack bulged as he tried to shove one more blanket into it. 

"I think you forgot the kitchen sink." 

Kili quirked a brow. "What? You told me to be prepared for anything." 

"Yes, but we're not spending the night. We're only going to be gone for about eight hours, and you already have a blanket shoved in there. I have one too; we're good." 

Kili pulled the blanket out of his pack, and replaced it with quite a few more water bottles. 

_'At least we're not going to dehydrate!'_ Fili mused.

Kili's first attempt to lift his overstuffed pack onto his back had him stumbling, losing his balance. 

_'So this is what it's like to carry a small car!'_

Grabbing Kili's arm, Fili steadied him. "You're not doing your back any favors, love! I'll carry some of those waters for you since you insist on taking so many." 

They readjusted their packs to a comfortable weight, and just as Fili started to close the trunk of the car he spotted the phone in Kili's hand. 

"I'll put it back." Kili sighed. 

"No, take it. You might want to take some pictures. I trust you won't use it to bother Tauriel about work. You'll be too busy enjoying the sights anyway." 

"I already love what I see." Kili grinned, giving his partner a quick kiss. 

"You sap!" Fili blushed. "Let's go." 

*

Not long into the first hour on the dirt trail surrounded by lush green trees of summer, they spotted a deer making a quick snack of some ground vegetation. 

The doe startled hearing their approach, and bounded through the brush followed by another deer, and a fawn. Kili smiled. "Wooow! They're so big! So beautiful, and graceful!" 

"You've never seen deer before?"

"Not really. Just the dead ones along the side of the road."

_'You really don't get out of the city much, do you?'_

"That's just sad, Kee. I'm going to guess by you're reaction to the horse barn, you've never been around farm animals either have you?"

"No. Never had a reason to." _'And please don't tell me we're going to a petting zoo next!'_

"Well, I know what we're going to do about that." 

"Fili, I don't want to go to a petting zoo. Those animals are so filth..." 

"No! Not a petting zoo! No, that's weak. My cousin Bombur's farm! Yeah! You'll love it!" 

Kili whimpered at the thought. _'I need to figure out some kind of allergy...'_ "Sure. Sounds like...fun. Eehaw." 

Fili smiled, shifting his backpack, and started up the steep grade with a satisfied spring in his step. Following behind, Kili looked at his cell, and trudged along after him.

_'It's only been an hour...'_

*

It was a gloriously bright sunny day though the woods was cooler in the shade of thick leaves, and hours into their hike the heat of the day made for a very humid hike. 

Sweat rolled down Kili's back, and Fili wiped his brow. Dirt caked their boots the further they walked. The steep inclines were proving to be more than the challenge even Fili was prepared for, and swatting at flying bugs, and slapping mosquitoes wasn't making things any easier. 

_'What did I get us into?'_

Kili had taken the lead like a trooper. He didn't want Fili to think he couldn't keep up, but his breath came more labored, panting, and flashes of white stars dotted his vision. 

"Let's stop and rest for a few minutes, Kee."

_'Thank god! He has a soul after all!'_

Fili dragged Kili to sit next to him on a fallen tree where they drank some water, and shared some trail mix and a couple energy bars. 

"You doing alright?"

Kili nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Really? I mean, you don't have to push yourself on my account. If you want to turn back..."

"No! I'm fine!"

The thinning of the trees gave Fili hope they were close to the peak of the steep grade they had been on for the past few hours. "I think we're almost at the top. We can move on whenever you're ready to go again."

Thankfully he had been right, and as they reached the peak of the trail, Fili couldn't help but laugh at his boyfriend's broad smile. Kili's legs practically gave out, but he laughed wrapping his arms around Fili supporting each other. Standing there together catching their breath, they took in the sight of the valley below and what appeared to be a waterfall in the distance. One would've thought Kili had just conquered Mount Everest he was so giddy over his accomplishment. 

"We did it, Fee!" 

Sweaty and disheveled, Kili looked so out of his element, and yet so perfect in Fili's eyes. "I'm proud of you, Kee! Yes! We made it."

The two hugged in celebration of their accomplishment, and found this to be the perfect spot with wild flowers cascading down the semi-steep drop behind them, to take a couple selfies. 

Kili had already taken quite a few pictures along the way, but the last one they took of themselves with wide smiles and a sparkle in their eyes clearly showed how happy they were at this very moment. 

Fili also pulled out his cell to snap a couple shots to capture their happiness, and the beautiful scenic view. The two shared a quiet moment letting a cool breeze give them some relief. "Ready?"

With a nod Kili heaved his backpack up. "Ready when you are." 

"At least it's all downhill from here, babe." _'I hope!'_

Pulling the map from his back pocket, the wind snatched it from Fili's hand. "Dammit!" On instinct he turned to reach for the paper, but lost his footing. 

It happened so fast, and yet as if the world moved in slow motion, the weight of his backpack deceived him. 

"FILI!" Kili's scream couldn't stop the nightmare unfolding before his eyes. In the blink of an eye, Fili tumbled over the edge of the cliff, disappearing through the blanket of wild flowers with a terrified scream of his own leaving Kili frightened, panicked, and alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry too much ;)  
> Thank you everyone for all the comments, kudos, and stopping by to read!!!


	6. Hiking - Part II

**Day 3 - Part 2**

Free falling off the hill, Fili never heard anything after Kili screaming his name except for his heart thumping in his ears, and plastic bottles bursting in his pack once he made contact with the ground fifteen feet below, knocking the wind out of him. 

_'I'm going to die! Oh my god, I can't stop!'_

There wasn't any trees to grab or crash into to break his fall, and somewhere along the way his backpack flew off. He just kept rolling, tumbling like a ragdoll faster down the steep incline. 

Desperately he grabbed at rocks, small brush, flowers, anything to stop his descent. Dizzy from rolling, he never knew when he was up or down, and pain from the many cuts and bruises, stung and burned. 

His terrifying ordeal finally came to an end when the incline turned into a gradual slope just before a line of trees. It felt like an eternity though the thirty foot tumble only lasted about a minute. 

Thankfully the tall wildflowers made for a softer ride down the hillside than expected, but _fuuuck_ this was going to hurt in the morning! 

Surely something had to be broken for all the pain he felt. Lifelessly lying there on the ground in the clearing, staring up at the clear blue skies above, he tried to comprehend what just happened. 

_'Oh, Kili! He's probably more freaked out than I am right now!'_

* *

Kili blinked in disbelief. 

_'That didn't just happen!'_ One minute Fili was standing there, and the next he was literally gone. 

Looking over the edge of the cliff, searching for any sign of his boyfriend, he noticed a disturbance in the tall blue wildflowers parting as if something was rapidly moving through them down the hill.

"FILI!" Kili cried out. He spun around and yelled toward the woods for help, hoping someone, _anyone_ would hear him, but he was very much alone, and didn't know what to do.

Shaky hands pulled the phone from his jeans. In his panicked state, he forgot about the emergency dialer, and tapped out his passcode. He growled when the code was rejected, and tried again. 

The second the phone unlocked, it let out a loud beep and warned of needing charged. 

_'Fucking one percent! Please let me make one call!'_

Fumbling to maneuver to the phone keypad, he quickly tapped '9', then '1', '1', and...

"No! N-n-n-n-nooo! Oh my god! NO!" 

Kili couldn't breathe, staring at the black phone screen. He didn't know what to do, but he couldn't just stand there.

Fili was down there somewhere most likely hurt, and he was up here on this cliff alone, miles and hours away from the entrance of the trails.

Even if he could make it back to the entrance in record time, Fili had the keys to the car.

* *

Once Fili got his bearings about him and was sure no bones were broken, he pulled his sore, aching body up, and brushed himself off. His clothing was torn and blood stained. 

Assessing his wounds, and his predicament in general, he knew he needed his backpack. He needed the first aid kit, and his phone, but all were lost somewhere up there amidst the rubble and dense spikes of wildflowers. 

After several futile attempts to walk or rather climb back up the hill, Fili admitted defeat. There was no way he could get back up to the cliff from where he had fallen.

Pulling off his ruined shirt, he dabbed the blood oozing from cuts and scrapes littering his body, but mostly his arms and hands. 

_'That's what I get for wearing a short sleeve shirt. Fuck, this hurts! And my leg is killing me! Way too go, Fili.'_ Stumbling over the rough terrain, he tried to find the right spot to see up the hill, hoping to see Kili. 

"KILI!" Fili called out, hoping to hear a response, but certainly wasn't expecting the response he got. 

"I'M COMING FILI!" 

_'Oh No! He didn't!'_ Fili couldn't believe his eyes. _'That crazy...'_

Kili was carefully inching his way down the hillside, sometimes sliding, but mindful that he could slip, and take a similar tumble as Fili. 

"HOW'D YOU GET DOWN HERE? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, KILI?"

"I'M COMING TO SAVE YOUR ASS, THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING! AND DON'T ARGUE WITH ME!"

Finally making his way off the ruged hillside, Kili trotted over to his boyfriend, shucked off his back pack, and pulled out a water bottle to hand him. "Are you okay?" 

Considering the perilous tumble he took, Fili took a long drink, and nodded, "Yeah. Other than tearing up my arms, and feeling like someone took a baseball bat to me, I'm good." 

"I was so worried about you!" Kili lifted Fili's chin for a quick, yet comforting kiss. 

"Thanks for coming down here to help me, Kee. I don't know how you got down here, but I hate to break it to you..." If he hadn't appreciated how sweet and stupid Kili was being at the moment, he would've cried over the irony. "Now we're lost. Why didn't you just call for help?"

"I tried, but my phone died. I didn't know what else to do, and I didn't want to leave you down there alone if you were hurt. Wha-what do you mean _lost?_ "

"I have no idea how we're going to get out of here. We can't get back up the hill to get back on the trail."

Confidently Kili grinned, and snorted. He had this all under control. "Sure we can! I used a rope to climb down. We can just use it to pull ourselves back up."

Fili shook his head. "Nope! Not gonna happen. I've already tried to climb back up, and it can't be done. It's too steep. The rocks keep slipping, and you slide back down."

"Then, what're we going to do?" 

"We're going to start walking." Rummaging through Kili's pack to find his first aid kit, Fili could believe what else found. "What is this? You brought a book? _Hiking for Dummies?_ " In hindsight, he swears he wasn't laugh at him, but it was such a Kili thing to do. 

Kili's brow arched mockingly, "And who fell off the cliff?" 

_'Right. Good point.'_

"You told me to be ready for anything, so I bought that book to learn whatever I could about hiking before our trip. There's a compass in there too, if that'll help." 

"And just when I thought I couldn't love you anymore!" Fili dropped everything, and pulled Kili tightly into his arms. 

"I have another t-shirt in my bag. Let's get you bandaged up, and we'll get going" Kili pressed a kiss into Fili's sweaty curls, and grabbed him a shirt. 

* *

Unsure of where they were going, but determined to find their way, the two young men walked for hours, down the hill deeper into the woods. Fili was more confident having the compass to guide them, and felt the path they were taking was heading them in the right direction, even if they couldn't find a way back up from the valley just yet. 

"Do you hear that?" Kili asked. 

"Sounds like a waterfall." 

Following the sound out of the woods, they found the small pristine lake and waterfall they had seen miles away while they were atop the cliff from where their unexpected journey began. 

"Looks like the perfect place to rest!" There was a hint of relief in Kili's voice. 

"That waterfall looks like the perfect place for me to wash up!" Shamelessly, Fili stripped out of his clothes, and waded into the lake letting the clear cool water soothe his wounds and aching muscles.

Kili dropped his pack on the shore, and sat on it. Watching Fili enjoying the natural shower of the small waterfall, his smile grew wide when he caught his eye, and smiled back at him. His little man had brought so much joy and adventure to his life over the past six months. His smile faded realizing he could have lost him forever just hours ago. 

"Come join me, Kee! The water's great!" 

Had anyone told hotel executive Kilian Oaks a year ago that someday he would strip naked in a public park, and swim in a natural lake with a baker, he would've died laughing at such a ridiculous thought, and yet, here he was doing just that, enjoying every minute of it. 

They swam and splashed in the secluded lake like a couple of racous teens, and when Fili kissed him, pulling him close, slotting their bodies together beneath the mist of the falls, Kili wished they could stay here in their private paradise forever. 

It wasn't the clear blue waters and white sands of foreign islands he'd travelled to, nor was the waterfall a spectacular attraction, but when their lips met, and their eyes closed, why would it matter where they were. Together is where they belonged, no matter the location. 

"Make love to me, Fee. If you're feeling okay, of course. I don't want to hurt you." 

"I know you'd never do anything to hurt me." Fili's dimples deepened, and his blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight glinting off the lake. "You risked your neck to save me." 

"I know you'd do the same for me." Kili's sunkissed olive skin glistened with water dripping from his long dark locks, trailing down his chest, and waterdroplets clinging to his beard looked like tiny crystals. Wet was definitely a ridiculously sexy good look for him. 

"Let's get out of the water, and dry off." 

Traipsing through the woods, they found a perfect spot not far from the lake to shed their clothes again. 

Hazel eyes turned dark and lustful. The rough bark of the tree digging into the skin of his already aching back was painfully uncomfortable, but Kili welcomed the pain countered by the pleasure of Fili's warm mouth enveloping his cock. 

The baker's soft hands now rough and worn grazed Kili's smooth skin sending shivers up his spine as he turned to grasp the tree trunk, and steeled himself ready to be taken from behind. 

The earthy scent of the woods filled his nostrils as a cool breeze wafted delicately over his naked body arousing his senses. Fili leaned over him, brushing light kisses along his shoulders, as their bodies moved in perfect sync. Never had Kili felt so unabashed. Sex outdoors with the man he loved was exhilarating, so pure, so natural, feral and raw. 

Fili threw his head back, undeniably enthralled in the moment, pleasuring Kili, satisfying his own needs in this setting was blissfully freeing. His body ached, over exerted muscles flexed and burned. He wouldn't trade this pain for anything. This was a first, and most likely the last he would ever experience making love to Kili in the woods like this, and he going to enjoy it while he could, searing this passionate moment to memory. 

Flashes of white lights burst behind closed eyes, followed by breathless sentiments whispered from the heart. 

"I love you, Fili." 

"I love you, Kili." 

The lovers panted, collapsing into each other's arms to rest on quivering legs. Leaning against the wide maple tree, neither one wished to let go, and they both knew exactly why. 

_"I love you..."_

* *

The sun was setting, and they had yet to find the slightest sign of the one of the park's dirt trails. It became very apparent they were not getting out of the woods this day. 

"We're going to have to find shelter for a place to sleep tonight, Kee."

"We can keep going a little further, can't we? We have to be getting closer to the trail entrance, shouldn't we?" Kili refused to believe he was going to spend another night on the ground, and even worse, he wouldn't have the slight sense of safety from the elements the tent provided. 

"Fraid not. Best we find somewhere safe before it gets too dark, and it's already starting to get cold. We'll need to build a fire too."

Luck was on their side as they spotted a niche beneath a cliff. Of course the solid rock ground wouldn't make for the most comfortable place to lay their weary bodies, but it would provide some shelter, and enough heat stored in the stone to keep them semi warm was a plus. 

They made haste to gather enough wood to build an ample fire to last through the night. With only one blanket not large enough to share, they argued over who should use it. In the end, Fili reluctantly took it, and curled around Kili to share body heat with him.

Completely spent from the days events, the two quickly fell fast asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the comments, kudos, and stopping by to read!!!


	7. Lost

"Stop, Fili!" Kili giggled himself awake, though he was annoyed Fili thought it was funny to lick his nose, of all things. 

Digging his fingers into the fur of Fili's coat, pulling him closer, he snuggled into his warmth, and hummed. Fili was oh so warm. 

Playful as it seemed, Kili wasn't amused when a wet tongue laved across the tip of his nose again. 

"Fili! Seriously! Stop it! I just got back to sleep!" 

Under any other circumstance, he would've relished this type of early morning wake up call, but he'd had such a miserable, sleepless night lying on the cold, hard ground, and had finally got comfortable enough to sleep, why was Fili messing with him now? 

Equally annoyed to be awakened, Fili shifted around behind Kili, and grumbled, "What's wrong, Kee?"

Sandwiched between two bodies, Kili's eyes flew open. He shrieked, and babbled something unintelligible, scrambling back faster than he'd ever moved in his life. 

Fili yelped. _'When did Kili get so heavy?'_ He heard a high-pitched whine that certainly didn't come from his startled boyfriend, but he couldn't see what was causing the chaos with Kili crushing his already bruised and battered body. 

"Oww! Get off me! What's going on? What is it?" 

Locking eyes with the furry beast standing on the other side of their small dwindling campfire, Kili's heart tried beating out of his chest.

Fili shoved Kili off him just in time to see a frightened, medium sized dog lower its head, and scurry off the rocky ledge, disappearing into the woods.

"It's just a dog, Kili!" 

Trying to catch his breath, Kili fisted his shirt over his heart. "It was laying against me! I thought it was a wolf!" 

"You scared him!" 

"Scared _him?_ He scared **me**!"

Fili wandered toward the area he saw the dog run off to, and made some kissy noises calling for the stray animal. "He probably curled up against you because he was cold. He's probably lost like we are, poor thing." 

Peering around a large tree, the dog curiously stared at the human calling to him. 

"Do you have any jerky left in your pack?" 

Kili gladly handed over the full bag of dried meat. 

_'Dog can have it all. Can't believe people actually eat that shit!'_

Fili held out a piece of jerky, hoping to coax the animal close enough to check for tags. "It's okay, come here. Want it? Come on." 

Timidly the dog crept over to him, and stretched out its neck to gently take the offering. Shocked the stray didn't run away with the food, Fili was careful not to move and frighten the animal. 

The dog quickly backed away leaving an apparently comfortable distance between them, and laid down to gnaw on its prize, all the while keeping a wary eye on Fili, occasionally glancing at Kili. 

Speaking in a quiet tone, Fili won the dog's trust, and found a collar and tags buried under thick black and brown fur. 

"Hey, Kee. You're not going to believe this." Fili smiled with an incredulous snort. "Her name is _Angel._ And there's something else..." 

~*~ ~*~

After leaving an early Friday morning meeting at Erebor, Inc., CEO Thorin Oaks payed his nephew's secretary a visit on a personal matter. 

Even though he gave orders for Kili not to call or text about business, he wanted to know if she had heard anything from him concerning his camping trip. 

Tauriel handed Thorin her cell phone, showing off the last few pictures Kili sent her the day before. A huge smile lit up his face. "Wonderful! Looks like they're happy and having a great time. Just what Kili needed." 

"He said they would be home sometime today. Want to bet on how long it takes before he shows up here to check on things?" Kili's secretary laughed facetiously. 

"Not a chance." Thorin chuckled, and shook his head. "That's not a bet even a hardcore gambler would risk! Let me know when he gets here." 

~*~*~

By nightfall, Fili was just as worried and concerned as Kili. They were truly, inconceivably lost. 

Every tree, every hill, cliff, creek, and rock looked the same as if they were going in circles. Fili was so incredibly sore, he could barely take another step.

Frustrated, he plopped down on the ground. Raking his fingers into his tangled mane of curls, he wanted to cry he was so angry.

"I'm sorry, Kili. We wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't been so stupid." 

"You're not stupid. It was an accident." Kili dropped down his pack, and pulled out the last water bottle to share with him. "I'm just thankful you weren't hurt any worse than you are."

Kili's stomach growled loudly, giving up his secret hunger. 

"I know you ate all the trail mix. Have some jerky." Fili pulled out the bag of dried meat, and tossed it into his lap. 

"I'd rather starve." Kili mumbled, and graciously handed back the plastic bag. 

"You need to eat something. We don't know how much longer we're going to be out here." 

Angel sat in front of them, and whined, lifting her paw. 

"I think she wants more jerky." 

Fili fed their furry little companion a small piece, and forced the rest of the dried meat into Kili's hand. "Eat it. Then we're going to have to find somewhere to sleep again tonight." 

Kili couldn't imagine trying to get through another uncomfortable, cold night, but knowing Fili was right, he reluctantly began chewing on the tough jerky. 

"At least we have this little lady here to us warm." Fili ruffled the dog's fur, and grinned, giving her a hug. 

Kili wasn't thrilled about sleeping with the dog again, but nodded in agreement recalling how he thought he was going to shiver to death last night until he woke up this morning snuggled into the warmth of Angel's fur. 

~*~

"Good night, Ms. Greenwood. Have a great weekend!" Tauriel waved to the last of the accountants leaving work for the evening. Her brow furrowed noticing the late hour. 

_'I thought for sure Kili would've shown up here after they got home. At least he would've sent a text to let me know he was back in town.'_

Looking at her phone again making sure she hadn't missed a message, Tauriel couldn't resist tapping out a text to her boss for peace of mind, but another hour passed without a reply. 

The executive's secretary gathered her belongings, and turned off the office lights. She checked her phone one more time, and clutched it tightly. 

Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe Kili and Fili were having such a great time, they decided to stay another day, but concern set in by late Saturday afternoon, two whole days past when they were expected home, and neither she nor Thorin heard from Kili. 

After several more attempts to contact both Kili and Fili, Thorin called Kili's residential hotel, and was informed they had not returned home yet. He scratched at his beard in frustration. Surely if something happened to either of them, the other would've let them know. 

"Being a day late is one thing, but two days without contacting either of us, is another." 

Wringing her hands with worry, Tauriel nodded. "It's not like Kili. He's sent me pictures every day since they left, but I haven't heard anything at all from him since Thursday. You know, those pictures I showed you. Those were the last ones he sent while they were hi...hiking."

Her green eyes grew wide, meeting the worried look taking over Thorin's face. Without hesitation, he whipped out his phone. 

"I'm calling the park ranger's office. I know my nephew too well. Something's wrong." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos, comments, and stopping by to read!!!


	8. Determination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, I did it again :( This chapter was supposed to be the last chapter, but it grew too long for my liking. Sooo I'm breaking it up, and I promise chapter nine will be the end.

"They were supposed to be home Friday. We haven't heard from them since Thursday while they were hiking." Thorin explained. 

The park ranger didn't share the same sense of urgency as Thorin until he heard the young men had been hiking. Even more so when he spoke with the owner of the campground down the road, and found out they had not checked out when they should have. He confirmed their car was missing from their campsite leaving all their belongings behind as well. 

"I'll send word to the patrol rangers to look for their car. If we can find their car, at least we'll have a good place to start searching for them. It's an older model, silver Toyota Corolla, you say?" 

~*~*~

Day two of wandering the vast woods was coming to an end, and hope of finding a way out diminished significantly. The lost hikers were out of food and water, and patience was running thin. 

Trudging up a short hill beneath the cover of maple trees, Kili stopped to drop everything, and pull off his shirt. Scrubbing dirt from his face, he groaned wiping down his sweaty arms and chest. 

_'I've never been so filthy in my life!'_

He swatted a mosquito, then another, growling in disgust. His t-shirt provided little protection against the annoying insects attempting to feast on his blood anyway. He was already dotted with multiple red, itchy bite marks from the nasty little fuckers. 

Rueful blue eyes were met by dark hazel orbs glowering beneath a heavy brow. 

_'He's been so quiet. Surely he hates me by now.'_

After hours of silence driving a gap between them, Fili tried to close the awkward distance with a slight grin and yet another apology. 

"I'm sorry, Kili. We're getting closer to the trail entrance, I'm sure of it." 

Kili tugged his soiled shirt back on, and roughly snatched up his pack. "Like you were sure we were close to finding a trail this time _yesterday_." 

"I'm trying to be optimistic! We can't give up trying to find a way out!" 

"I should've never let you talk me into going on this camping trip in the first place!" 

Fili's heart dropped into his shoes watching Kili continued on up the hill navigating the trees and fallen branches with Angel following close behind. 

_'What was I thinking taking him out of his urban jungle? Guess I'll be packing my bags when we get back. **If** we get back.' _

"Everything would've been fine if I hadn't fallen off that cliff, and I certainly didn't do it on purpose!" 

Kili reached the top of the hill, and waited for Fili to catch up. He turned throwing his arms around him. "I know! I know. I'm sorry. I'm just...frustrated. I'm exhausted, Fee. I'm so tired, and hungry, and...to be honest, I'm...scared." 

Curling his fingers into Kili's shirt, Fili held him tight. "I'm so sorry, Kili. We should've taken a shorter trail. That was my fault." 

"No need to dwell on it now." He didn't mean to sound so accusatory. Kili pressed a kiss into Fili's tangled curls, and welcomed the feel of his little man relaxing into his embrace. "I know you think my book is stupid Fee, but I think we should find somewhere to settle in, build a decent fire, and stay put. The odds of someone finding us might be better if we stay in one place instead us of trying to find a way out." 

"What if nobody looks for us?" 

Kili lightened, and pulled back. His adorable smile returned. "Did you forget who I am? I'm my uncle's only heir to one of the largest hotel chains in the world! You don't think he would send help for me?" 

"I don't know. Maybe Tauriel did such a fabulous job while you were away, she replaced you." 

"She's just my secretary." _'But she is very good at keeping things running. Thorin wouldn't replace me, would he?"_ "And what about your mother? You call her at least a couple times a week, and you told her we were going camping. You don't think she might be worried about you?" 

"Yeah. She will start to worry if I don't call her soon. And I guess my employees would eventually wonder what happened to me too." 

Continuing on, Fili took the lead. The pain in his leg was making it harder to hide, and if that wasn't enough, he didn't notice the sticky cobweb draped from one tree to another. The sticky web caught in his hair and beard. 

_'Oh, come on!'_ He tried desperately to wipe the webbing off himself, and then it happened. Something evil was creeping, crawling onto his forehead. 

Kili was concerned at first, but burst into laughter watching Fili flailing about, screaming like a little girl trying to remove the cobwebs and knock the rather large spider off his face. 

"It's just a spider, Fee!" 

"I know it's a spider! It's huge! Get it off! Get if off!" _'It's a fucking tarantula!'_

"You already knocked it off!" _'And it wasn't even that big!'_

Fili finished dancing around, ridding himself of the nasty, sticky web, and shivered. 

"Thought you weren't afraid of anything." Kili snickered. 

"Okay, I admit it! I'm an arachnophobe, alright? That's thing was huge!" 

"It was the size of a quarter." 

"Don't care. Glad I could entertain you. Now we've established our deepest fears, can we just forget about this, and move on please?" 

_'My brave wilderness man!'_ "Sorry, Fee, I promise not to tell anybody about that little song and dance." _'If you think I'm going to let you live this down, you're crazy!'_

The side-look Kili received was enough to make him start walking in silence again. 

*

By dusk, another night in the woods seemed certain as the two young men and their furry companion searched for the perfect place to build a campfire, and settle in for the night. The spot they chose wasn't as ideal as the previous two nights, but it would have to do. They were running on empty, but finding clean, clear creek water to drink and wash up gave them some relief before calling it a night. 

The firewood snapped and crackled as Fili tossed another small broken tree branch onto the pile of burning wood. 

Seated by the fire, Kili couldn't take his eyes off the way Fili favored one leg. "Come sit down. I'll get some more wood for the fire. I know your leg is bothering you, even if you won't admit it." 

"It's nothing, but I think I will sit for a minute." _'It hurts like a mother!'_ Switching places, Fili carefully lowered himself to the ground next to Angel near the fire. "I'm starting to agree with your idea of staying put here tomorrow." 

Kili gave a nod, and headed off in search of kindling. _'It's about time the stubborn little dwarf listens to me!'_

Getting his fingers caught in his tangled hair was aggravating, and driving Fili crazy. He always took pride in his perfectly braided, soft, wavy locks. Angel rested her head on her paws as he petted her messy fur. "We both need a good shampoo and brushing, don't we?" 

Kili had barely been gone, but a few minutes into the dark woods, when suddenly Angel perked up, and woofed once, then gruffed.

"It's alright, girl. It's just Kili." 

The dog bolted up, barking, and growling something fierce. "What is it, Angel?" Before Fili could push himself up, she raced into the woods in the direction Kili had gone. "Angel!" 

Hobbling after the dog, Fili hurried as fast as he could. She had run out of sight, but he could hear intense growling. "Kili! Are you okay?" 

"Stay back, Fili! It's a wolf!" 

Taking a few steps closer, Fili gasped. Angel was the only thing standing between Kili and another growling stray dog. _'Learn your animals, Kee!'_ "That's not a wolf! It's a dog, but that one's not so friendly." 

The two dogs began circling, staring each other down, snarling, and growling until Angel snapped at the slightly larger, but obviously starving, ill stray. In a flurry of gnashing teeth, vicious growling, and a few yelps, Angel relentlessly chased the mangy cur away. 

"Angel! Come back!" Fili commanded. Worried for her safety as much as their own, he called for her over and over. Eventually she obeyed returning triumphantly to her traveling companions. 

Still shaken, Kili forgot every negative thought he ever had about dogs, and dropped to his knees to hug Angel, peppering her head with kisses to boot. "You saved me! _Again!_ "

That night, for the first time as he and Fili laid down to sleep, Kili didn't worry about fleas or doggy germs, snuggling their furry guardian between them.

~*~*~

"That's great news! Now find them! I'll cover the cost of the search, just find them!" Thorin was relieved to hear Fili's car had been found, but in the dark of night, the park rangers refused to do any further foot searches for them until dawn.

Thorin wasn't happy. 

"Alright! Alright, It is a clear night. We'll send out a reconnaissance plane to search for any campfires in areas of the forest where there shouldn't be any. We'll be sending you the bill."

Satisfied, Thorin could rest knowing they were doing something to find them, but that didn't mean he could sleep. He and Tauriel set out for the rangers' station. If there was any word of their whereabouts, he wanted to be there in-person to hear the news first hand. 

By morning, word of the missing hikers had spread, and the media had descended upon the small campground, and the park ranger station. A group of search and rescue people had gathered to comb the forest. Much ado had been made in the news, when the media found out that one of the missing hikers just happened to be the nephew of hotel mogul, Thorin Oaks. 

"What are they doing here?" Tauriel glared at the reporters, refusing to answer the vulture's prodding questions. 

"Ignore them." Thorin held his head high, and watched the monitor over the shoulder of one of the rangers.

"The reconnaissance plane found nothing out of the ordinary. Not to say they aren't out there somewhere, but no campfires were found outside the area of the campground. We're sending out the ground search parties at sunrise. We have one group here at the park, and another set to go at the campground. Rest assured, Mr. Oaks, if they're out there, they _will_ be found."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you love Deano, and haven't seen the instagram link in islandkate's comment on the last chapter, please go check it out! 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments, kudos, and for stopping by to read!


	9. End of an Adventure

The heady smell of damp vegetation; the skittering of insects, and the flutter of small animals scurrying about were once a thing of joy being so close to nature for Fili, but forced to live in the wilderness, totally unprepared, trying to survive was a different story. Even he had to admit, roughing it wasn't any fun. 

Never a heavy sleeper, Fili had a hard time sleeping at all the past few nights exposed to the elements beneath the stars, and the ache in his leg was progressively getting worse. If there was any saving grace to their ordeal, at least the weather hadn't taken a turn for the worse, but the clouds were moving in. Maybe their luck was running out. 

_'I could check the weather on my cell, but wait! No, I can't! Because I lost my fucking phone when my stupid ass fell off that fucking cliff!'_

Using their pack for a pillow, he laid there studying the light scratches on Kili's face; his brow was furrowed in discontent, and his lips pursed tight. 

_'This is so wrong, Kili. If we ever make it home, I'll tend to your every need. I swear I'll kiss your sweet ass making this up to you...well, not in the literal sense, but...well, yeah, that way too, but...' He sighed, 'We shouldn't be here. None of this should've happened, and it's all my fault.'_

His sophisticated boyfriend shouldn't be sleeping on moss and dirt beneath a canopy of leaves in the woods. He should be sleeping in the luxurious comfort of his custom-made bed, and fine linens. Surely he was angry about being lost; angry with him for even suggesting they go hiking on such a long trail, Fili assumed. 

Kili trusted him, and he had epically failed him. 

_'I'm so sorry. I thought for sure we would've found a way out of here by now. If anything, I think I've been leading us in circles.'_

He reached out to smooth a hand over Kili's cheek, but stopped just shy of touching him, not wanting to wake him too soon. _'I love you, Kili.'_

It was just before dawn, and worry about facing another day of uncertainty set in. 

Fili had barely closed his eyes, when Kili opened his to gaze upon his boyfriend's troubled face. The cuts on his little man's face and arms looked painful, his hair a tangled mess, and certainly that scowl on his lips was there because he felt responsible for the predicament they were in.

_'Don't trouble yourself, Fee. It's not your fault we're lost. I'm still having nightmares of seeing you fall off that cliff. Losing you is my worst nightmare. I love you, Fili.'_

Angel groaned, and moved just enough for her two companions to become fully awake, and see the sunrise reflecting in each other's eyes. 

It was time to start another day. 

Scooping up some cool, clear creek water to drink, Fili eyed the small school of fish swimming by. He yelled back toward their makeshift camp, "Get that fire going again, Kee! We're having fish for breakfast." _'Maybe. If I can catch enough of these tiny bastards to amount to anything edible.'_

Fili had agreed to stay in one spot today, and so far where they settled last night seemed promising, but that plan would be short lived. 

Searching for more kindling, Kili found himself chasing after Angel instead. She had wandered away from him, and now she seemed to be tracking something. Every time he got close enough to grab her, she darted away. Fearing he would lose his way back to camp, he called for Fili to grab their things and join him. 

_"Where is she going?"_

The dog persistently pressed on through the sunlight peeking through the leafy trees, over broken branches, rocks, splashing through a small stream, up and down hills for nearly fifteen minutes. Her companions could do nothing to sway her from the trail she was forging. 

"Hey Fee, do you think we should let her go?" 

"No. We're lost enough as is. Maybe she knows something we don't."

The chase continued at a steady pace until Angel came to a sudden stop. The dog's keen sense of hearing and smell led them this far for a reason. She tipped her head, and barked once.

Fili and Kili took this opportunity to catch their breath. _'What's that smell? Is that...?'_

Inhaling deeply to be sure it wasn't their imagination, the smell of campfire and sausage wafted through the air. Wide-eyed they looked at each other. Could it be? Had they found their way to someone's campsite? 

Angel barked again, leaping over a log, running toward where the smell of breakfast originated with the two men following. In the not too far off distance, they heard a small voice calling out. 

_'We're not gonna die out here after all!'_ Simultaneously they thought to themselves. 

Again the small voice called out clearer, and then they understood. "ANGEL!" 

At last they had made it through the trees into the clearing of the campsite. Angel ran even faster into the open arms of her little girl squealing with joy, and within seconds another excited, happy young girl and boy greeted her with hugs and kisses.

"We made it, Kili." Tears of joy welled in Fili's eyes. Overcome with emotion, he had worn a face of determination to hide his pain throughout their ordeal, never letting Kili see how afraid he was they would have never found their way out of the two thousand acre park, nor that they would have been found alive. 

Out of breath, the two lost hikers appeared out of the woods, and slumped in relief seeing familiar, friendly faces. Bard and his children were a sight to behold. Fili crumbled, kneeling on the ground he grabbed his aching leg. 

Tilda's shining bright blue eyes looked up at the two haggard young men, and smiled. "Fili! Kili! You found our dog!" 

At a loss for words, Bard ran to aid them. "Are you two alright?" 

Kili shook his head. "We've been lost for days." 

"Your dog led us to you." Fili said in a jagged breath. 

"You're the missing hikers!" An incredulous smile crept onto Bard's face. He couldn't believe it. "A search party came through here just a half hour ago asking if we'd seen you. I had no idea it was you two. Come over here, sit! Have something to eat and drink. Sigrid, grab some plates. Bain, get a couple of my shirts from the trailer for them." He joined Kili in helping Fili up to take a seat at the picnic table. "You're hurt." 

"I'll be okay. I'm sure my leg's just bruised." 

In spite of all they had been through over the past few days, they were relatively well aside of Fili's injured leg, bug bites, a few scrapes, bruises, and being in desperate need of food, water, and a hot shower.

Bain handed them each a fresh, clean t-shirt while Sigrid loaded a couple plates of food for the two starving men. Fili and Kili thanked the teens, and dove into their food, draining the cold bottles of water dry. 

Gracious and thankful for the family's kindness, Fili hated to ask for anything more, but the request was most important. "Could we use your phone?" 

Kili added, "Yes, please, I need to call my uncle." 

"Yes, of course! I'm sure you're families are worried sick!" Bard quickly handed Kili his cell, and within minutes the family's campsite was overrun with media, and rescue personnel. Thorin and Tauriel made a beeline for Kili, giving him hugs.

"Oh, Kili! We were so worried!" Tauriel turned to hug Fili too. "You're hurt!" 

"It's nothing." Fili took full responsibility for his injuries, and didn't want nor felt the need for anyone to make over him. _'Take care of Kili. He needs and deserves more attention and care than I do.'_

No matter how Fili felt about himself, he was promptly tended to by one of the EMS workers checking him over. 

"Kili, I've never been happier to see anyone in all my life! Are you okay? Are you injured?" Thorin's bear hug practically took Kili's breath away. 

_'Is Thorin crying?'_

"It was awful! Sleeping on the ground, all the bugs, trying to find anything to eat or drink, wearing the same filthy clothes day after day! I thought we were going to die out there!" Kili knew he was being dramatic, and though he spoke the truth, he didn't want to appear weak in front of everyone crowded around them. Especially when Fili caught his eye, and his tone changed. "But we managed. Fili found the best places for us to sleep at night, and knew what berries or mushrooms were safe enough to eat whenever we could find them. He gave me strength to keep going." Humbly Fili grinned, and lowered his eyes. "And I knew you'd send a rescue party to find us, Thorin. All I need now is a long, hot bath, and my bed to sleep for a week, and I'll be fine." He gave a nod toward his partner. "But Fili's hurt, even if he won't admit it." 

Thorin gave his nephew's shoulder a squeeze, and stepped aside for the EMS worker to tend to Kili. "I'll make sure you're both well taken care of. I'm just thankful to find you and Fili are safe now." 

With the chaos of law enforcement holding back the media reporters, television news crews clamoring for interviews and photos, calling out Thorin's name, it finally all came together for Bard who these people were. Seeing Kili so out of place and character, though he thought he looked familiar, he didn't realize until now seeing Thorin with him, he knew exactly who he is. 

"Killian Oaks. I'm the manager of your residential hotel on Fifth Avenue in Erebor." 

Fili's jaw clenched. _'Thought he looked familiar!'_ "Remember me?"

Bard looked Fili over in a different light. "No. I'm afraid not. Should I?" 

"No. Not really." He grumbled. 

A few reporters broke through security. Pushing Bard and Tauriel aside, they shoved microphones into the faces of the young men with no regard for the medical personnel trying to care for them, wanting their story first-hand as another questioned Thorin about how he held up throughout the ordeal. 

Kili looked toward his partner. Telling his tale of survival, he painted Fili as his hero, and couldn't say enough about the stray dog that saved them both. 

Bard stepped forward, "Thank you for finding, and taking care of our dog. We got Angel from the pet shelter right after their mother died. The kids have been heartbroken thinking we were going to have to leave here today without her." 

The way Angel was panting, Kili could've sworn she was smiling, and thanking them in her own way for bringing her home. Having to say goodbye to their loyal, furry traveling companion was secretly going to be harder for Kili than he thought. 

The meticulous businessman would never think of dogs as useless, filthy flea taxis ever again. 

Fili would miss her too, and loved Kili even more seeing how attached he'd become to the dog. Santa Fili took note of this significant change in his partner.

As the two were loaded into the ambulance, Kili asked to speak with Bard in private while Fili fussed with Tauriel about needing to gather their camping supplies, and drive his car back home. She assured him everything would be taken care of, and all he needed to worry about was getting to the hospital with Kili for the care they needed so they could return home and rest.

Bard emerged from the ambulance with a bright smile for his children. He graced the reporters with a quick interview, and as fast as everyone arrived at their campsite, they were gone leaving the family alone letting the morning events sink in.

"What did Kili want, Dad?" Bain asked.

"He gave me a raise, and wanted to know the name of the shelter where we got Angel. He's going to give them a substantial donation, and he also promised if we ever need any financial aid for any of her vet bills, he would take care of it." 

Bard petted Angel, and gave Tilda a hug. "From the stories they told, sounds like Angel has certainly lived up to the name you gave her, darlin'."

"Yes, she did! She's the best dog in the whole world!" Squeezing her dog lovingly, Tilda beamed with so much love for her dog, but turned a bit sad. "I liked Fili and Kili, Daddy. Especially Kili. Do you think we'll ever see them again?" 

"Maybe we'll see them again someday, baby." _'But I'm pretty sure we'll never see them camping again!'_

~*~

All the way to the hospital, Fili continued to grouse about needing to clean up their campsite, and needing to get his car. He continued to be angry with himself not only about getting lost, but everything that happened to Kili on this trip. 

Laying on his gurney, Kili reached over to where Fili laid on his, offering his hand. "Tauriel said not to worry. She'll take care of everything."

_'Hope you weren't expecting us to ride home in that piece of shit after all we've been through!'_

Nothing about this trip turned out the way he wanted, or expected. Fili took Kili's hand, wanting to respond, but all he could do was hold on, and tell Kili how sorry he was.

*

All the boys wanted to do was go home, but the doctor insisted they were dehydrated and after a night in the hospital getting all the care the care they needed, Thorin and Tauriel picked them up at the hospital in style. Riding home in the limo, Fili couldn't stop thinking about his car. 

"Will you stop already? Tauriel took care of everything." Kili laughed, and gave Tauriel a questionable look. "Did you receive my special order yet?"

The executive's secretary grinned, handing Fili a small gift box wrapped in gold foil. "Of course, I did! What would you do without me?"

Kili bit his bottom lip, and nudged Fili's arm. "A little something from me. Open it, Fee."

Holding the small box, Fili couldn't imagine what it could be, or what it was for. It wasn't any special occasion, and though Kili did surprise him with small gifts now and then, he wondered what was so important for Tauriel to bring it for their ride home. Lifting the lid off the box carefully, Fili stared at the key fob nestled on a pillow of satin. 

_'Toyota?'_ Blue eyes shifted from Tauriel, to Thorin, to Kili. "What is this?"

"The keys to your new car! Top of the line, fully loaded, brand new Toyota Corolla to replace your old one." Receiving no reaction from Fili at all, Kili began to worry. _'Maybe he wanted a different car!'_

Fili stared at the key. "Why would you buy me such an extravagant gift, Kee?" _'I'll never be able to give him a comparable gift! He deserves so much better than me.'_

Never had Kili thought a Toyota Corolla was an extravagant gift. Lamborghini, yes, maybe that, but not a Toyota. "I just wanted you to have a safe car that wasn't falling apart. If I did, I didn't mean to offend you, Fili." _'Not to mention your car is garbage, and very uncomfortable for long drives.'_

"I don't feel right excepting a gift like this."

Thorin looked at his nephew over his heavy brow. It was that look Kili knew well. "Honest. I wasn't making light of your car, Fee." _'Well, maybe a little...'_ "But I want you to have it. Please. If I would've given you a Benz or something, I would understand. That would be my style, and it would've been over the top, but seriously, I want you to have it. No strings. I love you, and I want you to be safe. You do a lot of traveling between Erebor and Dale to your bakery every day." 

Kili was relieved to finally see Fili's adorable dimples. Fili gave him a kiss, and leaned into his arms. "Alright. Thank you, Kee, I appreciate it. Thank you for everything."

~*~

By the time they arrived home in Erebor, Fili was excited to see his new ride. He'd never owned a brand new car before. The ultramarine blue Corolla was spotless, sparkling in the late afternoon sunlight, and the interior fresh with that new car scent. Still feeling a little weird about accepting a car as a gift, he didn't want to offend Kili either by turning it down. Sadly Fili couldn't even drive his new car if he wanted to with the brace on his fractured leg. 

They both couldn't wait to go inside to their penthouse home anyway. 

Fili reluctantly sat in his wheelchair with Kili's help, and bitched the whole way up their private elevator. "I'm not riding in this thing after tomorrow! I'll use the crutches if I have to, but you're not wheeling me around like this!"

 _'Stubborn dwarf!'_ "You'll do whatever I say until you've recovered, got it?"

"Whatever you say, Kee." Fili knew he wasn't going to win this battle, but won a quick kiss for agreeing. 

When they opened the door to their penthouse apartment, a light candlelight dinner was waiting for them, prepared by a private chef and served by their very own private waiter Thorin had hired for them this evening. 

"Did you arrange this too?" 

"No. I'm sure it was Thorin." Kili appreciated his uncle's gift as much as Fili, and after a quiet dinner, two personal massage therapists arrived to pamper them both before leaving the exhausted couple to fall into bed at an early hour. 

The second they laid down on the mattress, and pulled up their silk sheets and down comforter, they moaned in heavenly bliss. Their bed and pillows never felt so soft, or smelled so incredibly fresh and clean with the scent of vanilla and lavender. After lying on the cold, hard ground for days, they felt as if they were floating on a cloud. 

They had barely spoken a word to each other since they'd been home. Their silence was in part them both losing themselves in thought, enjoying, and appreciating being home, and the pampering gifted to them. 

Cuddled together beneath the sheets, Kili sifted his fingers through Fili's soft curls. Love shone brightly in his tired blue eyes. Kili's silky raven locks draped around his face as he leaned over, kissing him sensually. Fili closed his eyes when Kili nuzzled against his cheek. Licking the shell of his ear, Kili whispered, "I love you, Fee." 

"I love you, Kee." Fili's arms tightened around Kili, pulling him closer. "I'm sorry for taking you camping. I'm sorry for..." 

Pulling back, Kili gently cupped his boyfriend's cheek. "Stop apologizing to me, please, Fili. I admit, the idea of camping would've never crossed my mind as something I would've _wanted_ to do, but since it was something you enjoyed, I wanted to at least give it a shot. Not only for you, but for myself. If I never tried it, how would I know what I was missing?" 

"But it turned out horrible." 

_'True, but you're missing the point, babe!'_

"Being lost sucked, but we had a happy ending, didn't we? It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't entirely terrible either. I had some fun!" Kili was being honest as he could be, and what he said next, he meant most of all. "To be honest, the worst part of it all was the fear I felt when you fell off that cliff. I thought I lost you forever." Fili's heart skipped a beat. Kili's love for him was felt in his gentle touch of his hand gliding over his belly to rest on his hip, and the tender kiss he placed upon his lips. "I'm nothing without you, Fee. I don't know what I'd do without you." 

"I don't deserve you, Kee. You're too good for me, and..." 

"Hey!" Kili breathed. "I'll decide who's best for me. And I already have, and that's _you!_ You give me life! You bring me down to earth, always opening my eyes to a world outside the only one I've ever known. To experience life as an adventure outside my comfort zone. I learned a lot about myself on this trip, and it was all because of you! You take me places I would've never dared to go, and do things I'd never dream of doing. My pompous ass would've never considered swimming naked in a lake in the wilderness, but I did it _with you,_ and it was one of the most exhilarating things I've ever done in my life! " 

Fili grinned bashfully. "It was pretty awesome, wasn't it?" 

"And those s'mores! Who would've thought marshmallows, graham cracker, and chocolate melted together over a fire would be such an aphrodisiac? You introduced me to so many new things. You took me horseback riding and canoeing for the first time in my life, and I so enjoyed swinging on that vine, dropping into the river to swim! There were moments that weren't so great, but...I had fun, Fee. Because I shared the adventure with you." 

"I thought you'd hate me after everything. I felt like I let you down." 

"Let me down? You're the selfless one! Walking on a fractured leg for days, hiding how much pain you were in. You were always so positive, and put on a brave front for me. You gave me strength to keep going." 

"But I pushed you to do too much on your first outing. I know the great outdoors really isn't your thing, unless you're sitting beneath an umbrella on an island beach being waited on hand-and-foot by some cabana boy." Waving a hand around, he grinned. _'Yeah, maybe I'm a little jealous of them.'_

Kili snickered. "Well, I do like my cabana boys, but none of them compare to you." Silently in seriousness searching each other's eyes, Kili leaned into another round of slow, languid kissing, drawing moans from his beloved Fili. "I mean it, Fili. You and I being together is all that matters." Carefully straddling him, Fili wanted to protest, feeling he should take care of Kili, but Kili took control. His warm hand wrapped around their manhood, stroking with just the right pressure in a purposeful steady rhythm. 

Drawing in a breath, Kili gasped. He had longed to feel Fili's hands on his body, smoothing down his back, massaging his ass while he brought them to the edge. It was delightfully gratifying to touch like this again, to feel their warm bodies pressed together, sensitive skin tingling with desire. Love was evident in every touch, every breath, every endearing whisper of affection and the others name. 

Enraptured in their blissful moment, Kili kept his eyes closed remembering how beautiful Fili looked in the lake, water droplets sparkling in his golden hair, and the way his smile and laughter melted his heart. Fili reveled in memories of how ravenous Kili looked, wet and wild. His bright smile adorable yet seductive with sunlight dancing in his dark eyes. 

Safe and sound no matter where they were, in each other's arms, they were _home._

Holding onto one another, falling asleep, they both reflected on the events of the past few days, and how they worked together to survive through their ordeal. How it changed them, brought them even closer together, and how it made them look at life a little differently now. 

They both agreed, Life is a precious gift filled with adventures, big or small. Adventures worth the risk when shared with the one you love, making memories to last a lifetime along the way. 

Fili stirred awake, briefly cracking open an eye. "So what do you think about getting a dog, Kee?" 

Pretending to be fast asleep, Kili smiled internally, and began lightly snoring. _'Goodnight, Fee.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments, kudos, and for stopping by to read!!!
> 
> Sorry it took so long to complete, but I hope you enjoyed how their adventure came to a happy end.
> 
> I appreciate **everyone's** support, and for inspiring me to continue writing these adorable dorks.  
>  If you have any prompts or storyline suggestions for these two, please let me know below!  
> There may already be a few more stories in the works for them to be posted in the near future as well ;)


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